Verifying against the live site and live WHOIS/DNS…
Common questions
Is news.ycombinator.com legit or a scam?
AboutUs doesn't label sites "legit" or "a scam": this page lists the dated registration, DNS, HTTPS, mail-authentication and safety checks we could verify, each with its source, so you can decide for yourself.
Who owns news.ycombinator.com?
Nobody has completed AboutUs's owner verification for news.ycombinator.com. That's true of most sites here — it isn't itself a warning sign.
Correct a description, link or other detail. Submissions are reviewed before publication.
Site is live · HTTPS valid
Hacker News
Hacker News is a social news site where users submit and discuss links to articles, research, and projects relevant to technology, startups, and science. The community votes on submissions, which are ranked by popularity. It serves engineers, entrepreneurs, investors, and others interested in technology and innovation.
On AboutUs since 2013 · last checked Nov 14, 2026.
Registration
No registration date on file yet. AboutUs reads it from RDAP when the site is checked.
AboutUs record
AboutUs wiki pageNov 7, 2013An AboutUs wiki page described news.ycombinator.com from Nov 7, 2013 to Nov 7, 2013 (1 edit).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023Current AboutUs recordSep 10, 2026 – Sep 21, 2026 (latest)Authority and Safety last refreshed Sep 21, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
Registrar
No registrar observed yet. AboutUs has recorded registrars since Jul 20, 2026.
Registrant
No registration-record history on file for this domain yet.
Zone file
Not in the zone fileSep 11, 2026Not listed in the .com zone file since Sep 11, 2026. An absence can be a registry hold, not only a deletion.Source: ICANN CZDS zone file, snapshot Nov 14, 2026
Certificate
No certificate records held, May 2015 – Aug 2017EntrustEntrustMay 20, 2011 – May 20, 2015Entrust issued 1 certificate for news.ycombinator.com from May 20, 2011, the latest valid until May 20, 2015.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (crt.sh)
201520202025Jan ’26Oct ’26← last 12 months, drawn wider
Every dated fact on this lifeline (7)
May 20, 2011 – May 20, 2015Certificate: Entrust issued 1 certificate for news.ycombinator.com from May 20, 2011, the latest valid until May 20, 2015.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (crt.sh)
Nov 7, 2013AboutUs record: An AboutUs wiki page described news.ycombinator.com from Nov 7, 2013 to Nov 7, 2013 (1 edit).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023
Aug 2, 2017 – Aug 2, 2018Certificate: CloudFlare issued 3 certificates for news.ycombinator.com from Aug 2, 2017, the latest valid until Aug 2, 2018.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (crt.sh)
Jul 8, 2019 – Sep 10, 2024Certificate: DigiCert Inc issued 4 certificates for news.ycombinator.com from Jul 8, 2019, the latest valid until Sep 10, 2024.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (crt.sh)
Aug 22, 2024 – Nov 15, 2026Certificate: Let's Encrypt issued 13 certificates for news.ycombinator.com from Aug 22, 2024, the latest valid until Dec 19, 2026. Seen in use on Nov 5, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (crt.sh); TLS check, Nov 5, 2026
Sep 10, 2026 – Sep 21, 2026AboutUs record: Authority and Safety last refreshed Sep 21, 2026.
CloudFlare
Aug 2, 2017 – Aug 2, 2018
CloudFlare issued 3 certificates for news.ycombinator.com from Aug 2, 2017, the latest valid until Aug 2, 2018.
Source: Certificate Transparency logs (crt.sh)
DigiCert IncDigiCert IncJul 8, 2019 – Sep 10, 2024DigiCert Inc issued 4 certificates for news.ycombinator.com from Jul 8, 2019, the latest valid until Sep 10, 2024.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (crt.sh)
Let's EncryptLet's EncryptAug 22, 2024 – Nov 15, 2026 (latest)Let's Encrypt issued 13 certificates for news.ycombinator.com from Aug 22, 2024, the latest valid until Dec 19, 2026. Seen in use on Nov 5, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (crt.sh); TLS check, Nov 5, 2026
Source: AboutUs checks
Sep 11, 2026Zone file: Not listed in the .com zone file since Sep 11, 2026. An absence can be a registry hold, not only a deletion.Source: ICANN CZDS zone file, snapshot Nov 14, 2026
All 4 safety checks passed (Nov 15, 2026).
Automated safety checks
DNS (passed)
HTTPS (passed)
Page metadata (passed)
Security headers (passed)
Current facts
Latest available measurements; dated entries retain their dates. These are measurements, not an endorsement of the site.
not yet retrieved
Registrar and registration date not retrieved yet — we retry on every view.
latest result
HTTPS request succeeded for news.ycombinator.com.
checked Oct 3, 2026
The live front page reads as a community or social site, mainly for specialists in its field.
We withhold an authority number until independent evidence (global rank, link-graph presence) has accrued. The facts we do have about this site are shown below — we'd rather say “not enough signals yet” than invent a low score.
Safety evidence
No unexpired threat-feed result; name-similarity check available (recorded about 54 days ago); 3/3 transport and email checks available (oldest recorded about 54 days ago). This is evidence coverage, not a probability that a website is safe.
No MX and no DMARC (mild)
Site history
Dated record — historical facts always carry their date.